


Skating Lessons

by mistrali



Series: Variations on a Theme (Loved the Stars Too Fondly) [5]
Category: Emelan - Tamora Pierce
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-11
Updated: 2016-08-11
Packaged: 2018-08-08 02:49:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7740505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mistrali/pseuds/mistrali
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tris learns to skate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Skating Lessons

**Author's Note:**

> For Kypriotha, for Goldenlake's International Exchange 2016.

A few yards ahead, Daja was looping elegant circles around the posts. That only drove Tris to try harder - she was strong, and wasn't used to being left behind. She prodded a couple of excitable northeast winds and tried to twine them around her ankles like straps or lead them along behind her, but released them after realising that a tornado on a snow slope wasn't a good idea.

 _I knew I wouldn't like this_ , she said, feeling the first sparks of irritation. _I'll mostly be inside, researching or studying. I can take lessons later._ Mila knew she wouldn't be going to parties, after all, so she'd manage it in the spare time between lectures and the private mathematics tuitions she normally gave.

Daja sighed and glided closer, her braids flaring behind her in the wind. _Skating lessons with a local teacher cost half a silver argib a month,_ she pointed out, in what Tris thought of as her bargaining-with-hamots voice. _Tris, you can't lock yourself up in your dormitory for two years. You'll be starting fresh, as an adult, without an advantage. It's about building relationships, merchant girl. People you skate with, and make friends with, can be customers later._

"Yes, you're right. At least I'll be earning my keep, I suppose." Making a face, Tris hung on to Daja's arm and concentrated on moving each foot forwards. It was a little bit like walking through sand, but with skates instead of barefoot. Forward, right; forward, left. She slipped again, caught herself, and kept going. "Now turn," murmured Daja. Tris let go of Daja's arm, wavered and spun, and smacked face-first onto solid ice. _Runog curse it!_ She wiped at her stinging face with a glove. _I'm a weather mage. It's undignified for us to be lying on the ground like this._

In response, Daja sent her a couple of flashes of falling on the ice with her Namornese students. _Try being a smith-mage,_ she said wryly. _At least ice doesn't mind you._ Despite herself, Tris laughed. "Well," she drawled, "I mind ice. I think I'll hate it outright by the time this is done."


End file.
